The day I first had baingan ka bharta, I was a completely new person in the kitchen. That was also the first time I had cooked baingan ka bharta. For a long time my list of favourite vegetables was limited to just two items – potato and okra. It was just fine till I got married and moved to US. The first day after moving to US, I cooked potato, 2nd day ladies finger and 3rd day again potato… and then I started thinking that Sikander would leave me if I continue cooking just these two. I took a note of all the fresh produce in my local supermarket and asked my mom for ideas. That was when my love for cooking and eating baingan started!
This simple Baingan bharta recipe is one of the most popular preparation of eggplant in North India. What I love most about it is the smoky flavour of eggplant roasted on open flame. So many of my friends don’t like eggplant in any form other than bharta.
Baingan Ka Bharta
By Ashima Goyal Siraj
Preparation time: |Cooking time: |Serves: 2
1 Big Baingan (Eggplant/Brinjal)
3 Tomatoes, midium sized, chopped
2 Onion, medium sized, chopped
2 Green chillies, chopped
1 inch Ginger, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Oil
- Brush the Baingan skin with a little oil.
- Roast it on open flame or in a gas oven until all sides are well done(This is the most important part as the burnt smell is what adds to the taste of the bharta).
- Keep the roasted baingan in a bowl and cover it (this will make the skin come out more easily).
- In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds.
- When they sputter add chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and onion.
- Sauté for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are well cooked and turn golden brown in colour.
- Add chopped tomato.
- Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add all the spices and cook for 5 minutes.
- In the meanwhile cut the top and remove the skin from the roasted Baingan.
- Mash it and add to the masala in the pan.
- Mash together and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle some garam masala.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaf and serve hot with rotis.
Note: In case you do not have a flame gas, you can also microwave the brinjal on high for about 5 minutes or roast it in oven for about 40 mins. The only drawback in that it doesn’t get the smoky burnt flavour.
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